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Here are the recipes for the salads and other vegetarian dishes I created for

Nick Ashford.

Tomato Soufflé

SERVES 8

Three 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

5 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt, plus pinch

4 slices white bread, torn into medium-size pieces

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup cold milk

5 large eggs, separated

Sauté tomatoes in large skillet with 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt until dry. Add bread, and mix well. Cool. Preheat oven to 350°E

Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease soufflê dish. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt in soufflê dish so that it coats bottom and sides.

Melt remaining butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cornstarch, and stir for 1 minute. Add milk all at once. Stir. Remove from heat. Add egg yolks into mixture one at a time. Add sautéed tomatoes, mixing well.

In a clean, dry bowl, beat whites of eggs with pinch of salt until stiff. Fold into soufflê mixture carefully. Pour mixture into soufflê dish, filling it three-quarters full. Bake for 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Serve immediately.

Chakchouka

(Moroccan stew)

SERVES 8 TO 10

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 large eggplants, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 large onion, sliced

2 green bell peppers, cut into large pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into large pieces

2 zucchini, cut into large pieces

2 yellow squash, cut into large pieces

4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat oil in large, heavy pot. Add eggplant, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes. Add onion, and sautê until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and stir over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. Check seasonings and adjust if needed.

Ashford Salad ’96

SERVES 6 TO 8

2 heads romaine lettuce, with tough outer leaves removed

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 large English cucumber, sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced

1 large ripe tomato, cut into small wedges

1 tablespoon sugar

Wash lettuce, dry, wrap in paper towels, and put into refrigerator. Mix oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, and garlic in large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mash avocado with potato masher, and mix with ingredients in salad bowl. Check seasonings. Mix in tomato and cucumber. Just before serving, remove lettuce from refrigerator. Break into large pieces, and toss into salad bowl. With salad tongs, mix vigorously until each lettuce leaf has been flavored with dressing.

Mixed Salad with Feta

and Golden Raisins

SERVES 4

1 head Bibb lettuce

1 bunch watercress

1 cup golden raisins

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Remove and discard old leaves from lettuce and watercress; then wash. Wrap in paper towels and refrigerate. Put raisins into small pot with water to cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Take off heat and set aside so raisins can plump. In large salad bowl, place oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Just before serving, remove greens from refrigerator, and tear into large pieces. Drain raisins, discarding water. Mix dressing and raisins and greens, and sprinkle feta cheese on top. Serve at once.

About the Author

Poet, writer, performer, teacher, and director MAYA ANGELOU was raised in Stamps, Arkansas, and then went to San Francisco. In addition to her bestselling autobiographies, beginning with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she has also written five poetry collections, including I Shall Not Be Moved and Shaker, Why Don’t You Sing?, as well as the celebrated poem “On the Pulse of Morning, ” which she read at the inauguration